1 A Psalm of Asaph. O God, nations have come into Thy inheritance, They have defiled Thy holy temple, They made Jerusalem become heaps,

O God, the nations are come into thine inheritance: thy holy temple have they defiled; they have laid Jerusalem in heaps.

2 T hey gave the dead bodies of Thy servants Food for the fowls of the heavens, The flesh of Thy saints For the wild beast of the earth.

The dead bodies of thy servants have they given to be meat unto the fowl of the heavens, the flesh of thy saints unto the beasts of the earth:

3 T hey have shed their blood As water round about Jerusalem, And there is none burying.

Their blood have they shed like water round about Jerusalem, and there was none to bury.

4 W e have been a reproach to our neighbours, A scorn and a derision to our surrounders.

We are become a reproach to our neighbours, a mockery and a derision to them that are round about us.

5 T ill when, O Jehovah? art Thou angry for ever? Thy jealousy doth burn as fire.

How long, O Jehovah? wilt thou be angry for ever? Shall thy jealousy burn like fire?

6 P our Thy fury on the nations who have not known Thee, And on kingdoms that have not called in Thy name.

Pour out thy fury upon the nations that have not known thee, and upon the kingdoms that call not upon thy name:

7 F or hath devoured Jacob, And his habitation they have made desolate.

For they have devoured Jacob, and laid waste his habitation.

8 R emember not for us the iniquities of forefathers, Haste, let Thy mercies go before us, For we have been very weak.

Remember not against us the iniquities of forefathers; let thy tender mercies speedily come to meet us: for we are brought very low.

9 H elp us, O God of our salvation, Because of the honour of Thy name, And deliver us, and cover over our sins, For Thy name's sake.

Help us, O God of our salvation, because of the glory of thy name; and deliver us, and forgive our sins, for thy name's sake.

10 W hy do the nations say, `Where their God?' Let be known among the nations before our eyes, The vengeance of the blood of Thy servants that is shed.

Wherefore should the nations say, Where is their God? Let the avenging of the blood of thy servants that is shed be known among the nations in our sight.

11 L et the groaning of the prisoner come in before Thee, According to the greatness of Thine arm, Leave Thou the sons of death.

Let the groaning of the prisoner come before thee; according to the greatness of thine arm, preserve those that are appointed to die;

12 A nd turn Thou back to our neighbours, Sevenfold unto their bosom, their reproach, Wherewith they reproached Thee, O Lord.

And render unto our neighbours, sevenfold into their bosom, their reproach, wherewith they have reproached thee, O Lord.

13 A nd we, Thy people, and the flock of Thy pasture, We give thanks to Thee to the age, To all generations we recount Thy praise!

And we, thy people and the sheep of thy pasture, will give thanks unto thee for ever; we will shew forth thy praise from generation to generation.